Opportunity

The health and biomedical research workforce will become truly diversified when socioeconomic barriers are overcome, allowing individuals from all backgrounds to become members and leaders of their fields. Focused opportunities must be provided for individuals from low-income and under-represented backgrounds, and the major goal is to ensure that individuals with interest and passion also have the skills, accomplishments, network, and support system required to succeed at each level of training.  We strive to provide these opportunities through our Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine (CSM).

To date, the CSM Initiative has served over 580 scholars.  This includes 230 5th Graders (one-week science camp), 204 high schoolers (8-week summer internships with academic fortification), 101 undergraduates (10-week summer internships), and 46 post-baccalaureates (up to two-year mentored research-intensive training).  At least 83% of our high school scholars have matriculated into 4-year college programs and 73% have chosen STEM majors.  For our SARE program, at least 60% (87% of those confirmed) have graduated college by 6 years post-high school graduation. This compares quite favorably to the national  college complete rate of just 14% overall for students from this same socioeconomic background. For our postbaccalaureate scholars, 83% have been accepted into MD, MD/PhD, and PhD programs at a variety of institutions, including Hopkins, Stanford, Albert Einstein, Vanderbilt, Brown, Baylor, among many others.  11% have completed or are working towards their MS degree. 3% became research scientists, and 3% joined Teach for America to teach biology to high school students.

The CSM Initiative has been funded, in part, by a Health Careers Opportunity Program grant (non-renewable) through the Health Resources and Services Administration.  We also receive support from the Thomas Wilson Foundation, United Way of Central Maryland, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Camden Partners, Warnock Foundation,  Brancati Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Toffler Family Charitable Trust, Bearman Foundation, Spudich Family, Joyce A. Robinson Living Trust, and Burroughs Wellcome Fund.  If you are interested in helping support the Johns Hopkins Initiative for Careers in Science and Medicine, please contact Doug Robinson (dnr@jhmi.edu), Sarah Farrell, Director of Development (sfarrell@jhmi.edu), or Kevin McGuire (kmcgui10@jhmi.edu), Sr. Associate Director of Development, Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences.

Our Programs